Saturday, November 01, 2025
Wednesday, October 29, 2025
Publishing Portal--October 29, 2025
The latest news from Eckhartz Press, and a chance to peek into some of the great previous offerings from our humble little publishing company.
Happy Birthday Eckhartz Press!
The Sun at the End of the Road
=The tributes to Tony Fitzpatrick keep pouring in, including this memorial parade for Tony in New Orleans. What a moment.
=The biggest question we've been getting is about his memorial service. We finally have some news to share about that. (November 24 would have been Tony's 67th birthday.)
=Loop Files author Rick Kaempfer was out of town when the exhibit he curated at the Musuem of Broadcast Communications debuted last week, but Dean Richards did a great tour of it in this segment on the WGN-TV Morning News.
=Dane Placko did a report on the entire museum for WFLD-Channel 32. Here's a peek at it. NBC-5 was there as well. So was Axios Chicago. We like this Facebook reel of WLS Radio's Cara Carriveau discovering live on camera that she was in the display.
=Eckhartz Press co-publisher David Stern was on hand to snap some photos. Among them (the first one below) Eckhartz Press authors Bobby Skafish and Mitch Michaels. They are prominently featured in the display and so are their books (We Have Company & Doin The Cruise) , along with six other Eckhartz Press books, including of course The Loop Files. An enlarged framed photo of The Loop Files cover autographed by dozens of Loop stars from over the years is also displayed. The book is even for sale there at the museum gift shop.
=This is a big week for Gloria Golec. She got the first copy of her debut book in her hands. 
=She's also hosting a book release party, this Thursday (October 30), from 5-7pm, at Santa Fe Restaurant and Bar on 426 S. Main Street in downtown Glen Ellyn. Parking is tough in Glen Ellyn, but the restaurant is located right next to a public parking lot that most people don't know about. See you there!
=Author Jeff Reiter will be appearing on one of the most popular bird broadcasts/podcasts in the country on Sunday, November 2. Here's the link for Ray Brown's Talkin' Birds. We'll post a link to the podcast next week when it becomes available.
=Janet Sutherland-Madden is featured in the Fall issue of Power Magazine. Here's what that looks like...
=A little birdie (not one of the birds featured in Jeff Reiter's book) told us that Janet is working on a new book for 2026. We will stay on top of this breaking story.
=He's really making the rounds promoting his book. Last week Robert Conlon appeared via Zoom in Moscow, Idaho as a guest of honor for a book club discussing Celtic Knot. Yes, Eckhartz Press authors are willing to come to you!
=Exactly four years earlier, John was on Chicago Tonight with Phil Ponce talking about his book on WTTW.
Joe Jackson vs. Chicago American League Baseball Club
=This week in 2023 (October 31), Dr. David Fletcher appeared on the podcast Byers & Company to talk about his new book about the Shoeless Joe trial.
=This week last year Eckhartz Press publishers Rick and Dave ran into the co-author of Chili Dog MVP, Dr. David Fletcher. It wasn't a chance meeting. Doc was kind enough to score these seats. It was Rick's first Illini game in 40 years. That Illini Dad shirt Dave is wearing was once the property of Rick's dad Eckhard.
=This week (October 28) was National First Responders Day. Our late author Alex Burkholder was passionate about the work of first responders. His book Death of the Angels was about the famous 1958 fire at Our Lady of the Angels school, and the firefighters who were there that day were his heroes. When the book was released, on the 60th anniversary of the fire, we released it at a Chicago firehouse.
=This week in 2017 (October 28), Safe Inside author Lee Kingsmill appeared a book club in Northwest Indiana to read and promote his book.
=This week in 2022 (November 2), Treatment Magazine featured a nice article about Will Wagner's book Talking Bout My Generation. You can read it here.
=This week in 2019, Rick Kaempfer appeared on WGN Radio with Andrea Darlas and CBS-2's Brad Edwards to talk about his book EveryCubEver.
=Two of the famous Chicagoans who shared their Cubs love in the book Cubsessions by Becky Sarwate and Randy Richardson are celebrating birthdays this week. Happy birthday to former Chicagoan (and star of Bleacher Bums) Dennis Franz (October 28), and happy birthday to the man who has personally met seemingly every person to ever step foot in Chicago, Ronnie Woo Woo Vickers (October 31). Ronnie even came out to a few of the Cubsessions book signings.
=One of the enthusiastic supporters of Brent Petersen's foodie novel Truffle Hunt is Vesna Plakinis. Vesna's birthday is this week (October 29). Here's what she had to say about Brent's novel...
“Truffle Hunt” serves up a five-star gourmet feast of murder, hidden historical gems, deep family pride, a dash of humor and romance, topped with delicate slices of heavenly, golden truffles and a glass of nectar from the deepest Eastern European wine cellars. As a gourmand, mushroom hunter, animal lover and world traveler, I ate the delicious book up in just a couple of sittings. Now, all I need is a truffle hunting dog, a simian bartender, and I can I can bring the pages of this book to life in my kitchen!
=Yes, most of the people featured in Randy Merkin's book about Sports Radio are sports heroes. There are however, a few exceptions who rate their own chapter in the book. One of them, Henry Winkler, is celebrating a birthday this week (October 30). In the photo, L-R, John Jurkovic, Henry, Randy, and Carmen DeFalco.
November 1, 2004, Bill Zwecker interviewed Rick Kaempfer and John Swany Swanson in the Chicago Sun Times. You can still read that interview here.
=Rick's radio coaching techniques were featured this week in Barrett's Media. You can read that piece here. Thanks to writer Kevin Robinson for profiling him.
International Authors Day
=November 1 is International Authors Day. You'd think that a boutique Chicago press like Eckhartz Press wouldn't have any international authors. You would be wrong. Brent Petersen (Truffle Hunt) lives in Portugal right now. Rick Kaempfer (Back in the DDR) and Felitzitas Sudendorf (A Reluctant Immigrant) grew up in Germany. Bob Boone (City U) was a teacher in Germany. Ann Wilson (In Small Boxes) grew up in Hong Kong. Chuck Swirsky (Always a Pleasure) is a citizen of Canada. Leonid Osseny, the illustrator of 1001 Train Rides in Chicago, grew up in Russia, and Everything I Know I Learned from Rock Stars author Bill Paige lives in Thailand.
Sunday, October 19, 2025
Publishing Portal--October 20, 2025
The latest news from Eckhartz Press, and a chance to peek into some of the great previous offerings from our humble little publishing company.
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=Here's the announcement we've been promising. The Museum of Broadcast Communications is reopening later this week (October 23) for the media, and shortly thereafter to the public. It has a new "pop up" location on Randolph Street, near the Oglivie train station (440 W. Randolph). There will be some great things to see there, including a Johnny Carson exhibit, a Bozo the Clown exhibit, a Svengoolie exhibit, the Radio Hall of Fame, and...something that we've been working on now for several weeks. There will be an exhibit honoring 50 Years of The Loop radio station. It includes a timeline of big events over the years, a tribute to the big 3 stars of the station (Johnny B, Steve & Garry, Kevin Matthews), a feature highlighting some of the other important radio personalities from the station's historic run, some new and classic video, and some truly unique memorabilia. Also, eight different Eckhartz Press authors, all former Loopers, contributed copies of their books for the exhibit, including Rick Kaempfer (The Loop Files), Bobby Skafish (We Have Company), Mitch Michaels (Doin' The Cruise), Chet Coppock (Your Dime, My Dance Floor), John Records Landecker (Records Truly is My Middle Name), Chuck Swirsky (Always a Pleasure), Dan McNeil (I Bear Witness), and Tony Fitzpatrick (The Sun at the End of the Road). The exhibit was curated by The Loop Files author Rick Kaempfer.
=Just wait until you see what they've done with this poster...
=This week in 2023 Rick got the first copy of The Loop Files.
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=Great article in the Daily Herald Sunday about Jeff Reiter and his book The Best of Words on Birds. It was on the front page! Thanks to Daily Herald writer Katlyn Smith.
=Another promotional video for the book and upcoming film was dropped this week by the fellas...
Celtic Knot and The Kiss of Night
=Thanks to everyone who came out to meet Eckhartz Press authors Bob Conlon (Celtic Knot) and Mark Wukas (The Kiss of Night). Bob was in Western Springs at the library there, and Mark was at the Dovetail Brewery. Don't worry, this won't be your last time to see either of them. In fact, Bob is doing another event next month, signing books and making a presentation at this year's IBAM (Irish Books and Music), November 22 and 23 at the Irish American Heritage center (4626 N Knox Ave). Get your tickets for that fun event here. And keep checking back here for the next Wukas event, as well. In the meantime, both of their books are now also in the Chicago Public Library.
=This week in 2022 (October 26), Chuck Swirsky's book Always a Pleasure was released by Eckhartz Press. Chuck was a promotional machine the next two months pitching the book. This week he was on WGN Radio with Bob Sirott (October 20), and was featured in the Chicago Sun Times (October 20)
=The subjects of two of the most surprising photos (and stories) in the book, Drake (October 24) and Tom Petty (October 20) were both born this week...
Vintage Confidential and Selling Dead People's Things
=What do these two titles have in common? They are both written by Duane Scott Cerny. Duane is now making his thoughts, mirth, mayhem and misery in the vintage realm regularly available via his Substack called It's All My Fault. You can subscribe here.
=This week last year, Eric Litt had a launch party for his book Worth a Second Look. If his name sounds familiar, It should, this is his second book about movies for Eckhartz Press. His first book, Oscars Biggest Mistakes, is a big seller for us during every Oscar season. Eric Litt has been employed by WGN-TV/Ch. 9 for over 32 years and currently is the Programming Specialist for Nexstar Media’s Digital Multicast Networks Antenna TV and Rewind TV. In addition to enjoying movies, he loves music, television, and baseball and is an avid runner and triathlete. Eric lives with his wife in Skokie, Illinois and has three grown kids.
Pat Colander
=One of our favorite departed authors Pat Colander would have been celebrating a birthday this week (October 25). Pat was our first author to win the Book of the Year award from the Chicago Writers Association. Her book Hugh Hefner's First Funeral: And other True Tales of Love and Death in Chicago is a journalistic masterpiece. Unbeknownst to us, Pat was already sick at the time of its publication. She passed away in January of 2019. We still miss her.
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=This week in 2016, she did a well-attended reading from her book in Munster, Indiana.
Joel Daly
=This week in 2020 (October 22) we lost another Eckhartz Press author. The universally beloved Joel Daly. Joel was a Renaissance man, Anchorman/Reporter/Attorney/Singer/Actor/Pilot. His book The Daly News was a 2014 release at Eckhartz Press. When Joel passed away he was lionized all over the media. Of course Channel 7 did an on-air tribute to Joel. The Sun-Times published this wonderful obit. Media writer Robert Feder also paid tribute. Great guy. We miss him.
Best Seat in the House and EveryCubEver
=This week in 2016 (October 20), as the Cubs were beginning their World Series run, WCIU-TV invited two of our authors Rick Kaempfer (EveryCubEver) and Bruce Bohrer (Best Seat in the House) to be part of their morning show, live from Wrigleyville. This is Bruce with WCIU Morning host at the time, Jon Hansen.
=This week in 2018 (October 20), Mitch Michaels drove all the way to Northwest Indiana for a book signing at Tom Lounges' record store. Two of the members of M&R Rush showed up to say hello.
=This week in 2021 (October 2), Daily Herald editor/columnist Jim Baumann was featured in Robert Feder's column. Jim had just published his highly acclaimed book Grammar Moses. The book was a collection of Jim's famous grammar columns from the Daily Herald.
=Randy Merkin's stories in Behind the Glass are mostly about athletes, but there are a few that cross over into the world of entertainment. For instance, this guy, Snoop Dogg, celebrating a birthday this week (October 20).
Cheeseland and Lost In the Ivy
=This week in 2015 (October 21), Eckhartz Press author Randy Richardson was asked to attend the Carl Sandberg Literary Awards to benefit the Chicago Public Library Foundation. Steven Sondheim, Rick Bayless, Scott Simon, Bill Kurtis, Marv Levy, Sara Paretsky, Jim Peterik and Scott Turow were among the other attendees. You know, no big whoop.
The Unplanned Life and Wicker Park Wishes
=This week in 2020 (October 21), Roger Badesch was interviewed by Margaret Larkin for her Metrolingua blog about his memoir The Unplanned Life. You can still read that interview here.
=At the time, we had no way of knowing that Margaret Larkin would become an Eckhartz Press author herself. Just two years later (October 22), she appeared in Wicker Park to promote her novel Wicker Park Wishes...
=This week in 2020 (October 22), author Kipper McGee appeared on the RadioInfo podcast to talk about his media book Brandwidth. You can still listen to that here.
Chili Dog MVP and To The Men I've Loved
=This week (October 22) is former Chicago White Sox pitcher Wilbur Wood's 83rd birthday. Wilbur was a 20-game winner for the White Sox in the 1970s, but he also managed to do something even more impressive. He found his way into two Eckhartz Press books. This first photo of Wilbur with Nancy Faust and Bill Melton appears in Chili Dog MVP. The second photo of Wilbur and Jay Johnstone with Soxette (and future Eckhartz Press author Pat Motto) appears in To the Men I've Loved.
Records Truly Is My Middle Name
=This week in 2017 (October 23) we released the Hall of Fame edition of Records Truly Is My Middle Name after it was announced that John Landecker had been inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame. He was later also inducted into the National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame. John wrote a few new chapters and added a few dozen more photos for the new addition.
=Two days later he made an appearance at Purdue University (October 25). Both John and co-author Rick Kaempfer appeared for a lecture in the media department.
Grun Weiss Vor! and Signature Shoes
=The greatest soccer player of all-time, Pele, was born this week (October 23) in 1940. Pele also appears in two Eckhartz Press books. The top photo is Pele with Green White Soccer Club legend Tom Czop from the book Grun Weiss Vor! The second photo is Pele's signature shoes, which are discussed and highlighted in Ryan Trembath's entertaining book about the Signature Shoe craze.
=Speaking of soccer, this week is also soccer legend Wayne Rooney's birthday (October 24). He appears in Paul Banks' book about the success of the Premier League in America, Transatlantic Passage. Paul even managed to snap this shot of the former Manchester United man.
=This week in 2016 (October 26), Bobby Skafish appeared on Kipper McGee's podcast to discuss his book We Have Company.
=This week is also the birthday of one of the rock stars who appears in Bobby's book. Happy birthday to former Rolling Stones bassist Bill Wyman (October 24).
The Radio Producer's Handbook
=Though this book is not technically an Eckhartz Press book, it did begin co-publisher Rick Kaempfer's official literary career. 21 years ago this month (October 21), Channel 7 reporter Andy Shaw interviewed Rick and his co-author John Swany Swanson for Lake Magazine. You can read the entire interview here, if you're interested.
Programming note: Next week's Publishing Portal won't be released until later in the week (probably on October 30)